I Am Not A Beer Snob

Do you call yourself a "Beer Snob?"

I used to. I used to tout the fact that I was a beer snob. But then I'd be all kinds of hypocritical by enjoying 40's and PBR. But seriously, I used to consider myself a beer snob. I'd turn my nose up at any kind of Bud product, or Coors, or any of the infamous "domestics."

And then I started this blog, that is when everything started to change. In trying the countless different beers, I have had what alcoholics refer to as a "moment of clarity." Drink whatever the hell you want. If you like it, you like it, Good for you. I may think you like shitty beer, but who CARES what I think? I'm just a dude with a blog. So I've been working on trying really hard not to say things like "Oh, you like Shock Top? You know that beer sucks, right?" Because that's what a snobby person says. And who really likes snobs? I don't. No one does.

Being as involved as I am, sometimes its hard to keep my stupid trap shut. And find myself Googling things like "Blue Moon is bad beer" to read what people have to say. I did that today, and I came across this gem:

"Blue moon is a good beer. If I can't find Hoegaarden on tap, I'll take a Blue Moon over the crappy hoppy beer most craft breweries in the US are coming up with. Frankly most beer snobs I know think the more hops the better - I'd say someone that drinks Coors has more taste than these idiots. At least Blue Moon has more balance like the better European beers. Take your crappy hops, I'll have a Blue Moon. Keep it coming, at least its something I can count on being available along side all the other garbage."

I didn't respond, I actually read it with a quiet bemusement. That simple comment on some random blog is what sparked this entry. But the general thought of "Beer Snobbery" is something that actually rattles around in my brain quite often. Had I found that comment when it was originally posted, in 2010, I'd have blasted him with some snobby rhetoric. But now, to me, it really just sums up the whole "taste is relative" thing I was talking about. This guy likes Blue Moon, let him drink Blue Moon. Who am I to say "YOUR TASTE IS WRONG!"? I've been guilty of this a million times, and I know plenty of other folks are also. It's not right and it's not fair. We like what we like, they like what they like, and that's all it should be.

Of course, this can expand over to another avenue of when the big companies we don't like, such as InBev, have a stake in well known, and popular craft brewers like Goose Island. Things like that can divide the craft beer enthusiasts. But alas, that's a topic for another day.

So I'll stand by my "I am not a beer snob" and I will work hard to not talk down on you if I don't agree with what beer you enjoy. Because when it comes down to it, beer isn't important enough to inflate your own ego. We're a great community, lets try harder not to ostracize and instead let's try to encourage and maybe educate. Who's with me?!

I’m with you as I feel the same way. People are going to like what they like, for various reasons, and aren’t looking to change. I view dissing other people’s beer choices and being hell bent on converting people from macro to craft as wasted energy. That energy could be better spent educating one’s self on craft and becoming its ambassador, rather than trashing other people’s choices and insisting there’s a better way.

I couldn't agree more with the points you laid out. I'm embarrassed to admit, than when i dove in headfirst into craft beer, I was less of an advocate, and more of a huge jerk about it. I think I wanted people to share in the "life changing" experience that i had when I realized that beer was more than just "beer."